1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing device, and, more particularly, to an image processing device having both an image forming function and an image reproducing function for reproducing an image from a recording medium.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, in the case of a moving-image recording device such as a video tape recorder, a video disc device having an image recording function or a laser disc device having an image recording function, it is difficult for users to grasp the contents of moving images of long-previously recorded on a recording medium, so long as the users do not write down the contents.
For example, in the case of a video tape recorder (VTR), if a user is to check all the contents recorded on a video tape, the user needs to perform the extremely time-consuming operation of viewing reproduced video images which are displayed on a display while the video tape is being transported from end to end. To solve such an inconvenience in practice, it has recently been proposed to provide a VTR of the type which is arranged to successively reproduce the leading portion of each program recorded on one video tape and display the contents of the reproduced leading portions. This type of VTR enables a user to check all the programs recorded on the entire video tape in a comparatively short time without reproducing the recorded programs from the video tape from end to end.
However, even in the case of the VTR having such a function, it is necessary to perform such a reproducing operation each time a desired program is to be reproduced. In addition, it takes a considerably long time to transport the video tape for the purpose of reproducing the whole or a table-of-contents portion of the video tape.
Such a time-consuming operation or wasteful time can be omitted if the contents of the programs are noted on paper in advance, instead of performing the aforesaid reproducing operation each time a desired program is to be reproduced. However, in actual situations, users may have no time to make a note of the contents of each program or may find it difficult to do so for various other reasons. In addition, even if a user notes the contents of each program, if the contents themselves are not fully written down, the user may not be able to understand the contents when he/she views the note at a later time.
To cope with these problems, there is a method of printing out representative pictures (a table-of-contents picture) of a plurality of programs displayed on the display, by means of a video printer by utilizing the aforesaid functions of the VTR during recording or reproduction of the video tape, or a method of creating such a table-of-contents picture by means of a personal computer (PC) by employing software having a video capture function and a video-image processing function, and printing out the table-of-contents picture by means of a color printer or the like connected to the PC.
However, the method using the video printer involves a series of operations to be executed in the following sequence: (1) to interconnect the VTR and the video printer via a cable; (2) to turn on the video printer so that the video printer can process a video signal sent from the VTR; (3) to operate the VTR to display the table-of-contents picture on the display; (4) to operate the video printer to input the table-of-contents picture into the video printer; and (5) to operate the video printer to print the input table-of-contents picture.
In the method of printing the table-of-contents picture relative to the video tape by means of the color printer by utilizing the PC, the PC needs to be equipped with the software having the video capture function and the video-image processing function. This method also needs the following operations: (1) to interconnect the output of the VTR to a video input terminal of the PC (the PC and the color printer are connected in advance); (2) to activate the video-image processing software of the PC; (3) to activate the VTR to bring it to a reproduction state; and (4) to operate the PC to successively input the representative pictures of the respective programs and create and print a table-of-contents picture.
As is apparent from the above description, whether the video printer or the PC is used, the aforesaid complicated operation is needed. In addition, since an operation wait time or the like is needed, it still takes a considerably long time to check the contents of the video tape.